For video of UNCG coach Wendy Palmer's postgame comments, click here.
For a photo gallery from the game, click here.
CHAPEL HILL, N.C. – No. 19/17 North Carolina put five players in double figures and shot 56 percent from the floor to down UNCG 91-35 at Carmichael Arena on Wednesday in women's basketball action.
Freshman Jarae Savage scored a season-best 10 points, while redshirt sophomore Natalie Headley pulled down a career-high 10 rebounds to lead UNCG (0-2).
For the Tar Heels (3-0), Laura Broomfield posted the game's lone double-double with 11 points and 14 rebounds. Brittany Rountree had a game-high 14 points, while Chay Shegog added 13 and Krista Gross and Danielle Butts had 12 each.
"I think we really got a chance to see where we are," UNCG coach Wendy Palmer said. "I think several individuals did things really well, what we've been focusing on at practice. I mean, it's a tough loss. Carolina is Carolina, historically good. Coach (Sylvia) Hatchell does a great job. My concern is us, and more than anything, competing. We have to compete, and I didn't see that tonight."
UNCG hung with North Carolina in the early going, holding the high-octane Tar Heels to just six points in the first five and a half minutes. Early buckets from Headley and Savage had the Spartans trailing just 6-4 at the first media timeout.
The Tar Heels found their offense after that, however, rattling off an 11-0 run over a span of 4:13 to put some breathing room between the squads. A Dayshaun Richbow basket stopped the bleeding momentarily, but North Carolina followed with a 13-0 spurt to push its lead to 30-6.
After scoring just six points through the first 15 minutes of the game, the Spartans scored 12 in the final five minutes of the first half, with Sidnei Harmon leading the way with five. North Carolina led 46-18 at the break.
North Carolina continued to pour it on in the second frame, opening the half with a 13-2 run to make it 59-20 with 15:53 left.
The Tar Heels would lead by as many as 59 in the contest. The 56-point margin of defeat was the largest in UNCG history.
UNC forced 28 Spartan turnovers, converting them into 38 points. UNCG forced 21 turnovers of its own, accounting for 15 points. Savage and Jazz Weaver had two steals each for the Spartans.
Despite North Carolina's gaudy offensive numbers, UNCG held the Tar Heels below their scoring average and to their smallest margin of victory on the season. UNC came into the game averaging and even 100 points per game with a scoring margin of +61.0 points per contest.
One area in which UNCG hung with the Tar Heels was on the glass. UNC came into the game out-rebounding its opponents by 22.5 per game, but had a mere 48-45 advantage over the Spartans.
UNCG was just 16-for-71 from the floor, good for a 22.5 shooting percentage. The Tar Heels blocked 12 shots on the evening.
North Carolina is ranked 19th in the nation in the Associated Press poll and 17th in the USA Today/ESPN poll.
The Spartans return to action on Monday at Radford. Game time is set for 7 p.m.
AGATE
NORTH CAROLINA 91, UNCG 35
UNCG (0-2)
Jarae Savage 5-17 0-1 10; Sidnei Harmon 3-12 1-2 7; Sarah Folwell 2-4 0-0 6; Natalie Headley 3-11 0-0 6; Dayshaun Richbow 2-12 0-0 4; Janae' Stevenson 1-4 0-0 2; Amy Clapper 0-4 0-0 0; Nneka Awuruonye 0-2 0-0 0; April Carson 0-0 0-0 0; Jazz Weaver 0-5 0-0 0. Totals 16-71 1-3 35.
NORTH CAROLINA (3-0)
Brittany Rountree 6-8 1-3 14; Chay Shegog 6-10 1-4 13; Danielle Butts 5-8 2-6 12; Krista Gross 5-6 1-2 12; Laura Broomfield 5-10 1-1 11; She'la White 3-9 0-0 9; Megan Buckland 3-6 1-2 9; Shannon Smith 2-2 3-4 7; Candace Wood 1-2 0-0 2; Latifah Coleman 1-5 0-1 2. Totals 37-66 10-23 91.
UNCG.......................... 18 17 - 35
North Carolina................ 46 45 - 91
3-point goals--UNCG 2-12 (Sarah Folwell 2-4; Natalie Headley 0-3; Dayshaun Richbow 0-3; Jarae Savage 0-2), North Carolina 7-15 (She'la White 3-7; Megan Buckland 2-4; Brittany Rountree 1-2; Krista Gross 1-1; Danielle Butts 0-1). Fouled out--UNCG-None, North Carolina-None. Rebounds--UNCG 45 (Natalie Headley 10), North Carolina 48 (Laura Broomfield 14). Assists--UNCG 5 (Dayshaun Richbow 3), North Carolina 25 (Shannon Smith 4; She'la White 4). Total fouls--UNCG 21, North Carolina 11. Technical fouls--UNCG-None, NorthCarolina-None. A-1612
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